International. On the list of signatory cities of this initiative are Copenhagen, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Newburyport, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Monica, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tshwane, Vancouver and Washington.
These cities around the world, which represent 130 million people, committed to that by 2030 all new buildings built will be "zero emissions", which implies covering their energy needs with renewables and therefore do not emit carbon dioxide (CO2).
The agreement includes that the buildings must meet that goal by 2050, said in a statement the group of cities against climate change (C40), to which the 19 signatories belong.
"They will use energy effectively and respond to unmet needs from fossil fuel-free (energy) sources," the agency explained.
To complete the plan, a set of incentives and support programs will be put in place, the current energy expenditure of the buildings will be evaluated to see how to reduce it and a roadmap will be established that was not detailed.
The C40 affirmed that they will report annually on the progress made and will contemplate the feasibility of reporting on other types of emissions beyond carbon, such as those of refrigerant gases, and welcomed the "effectiveness" of this "bold commitment" and maintained that it will serve to meet "the most ambitious objectives" of the Paris Agreement against the global increase in temperature.
Buildings located in urban areas are one of the "most important" sources of gas emission and generate, on average, more than half of a city's emissions; in cities like Paris, London and Los Angeles, that percentage rises to more than 70% of these emissions.
The C40 recalls that the fulfillment of these commitments will require the collaboration of all the entities involved, including the private sector, because the municipal administrations do not have a "direct control" over all the buildings of a city.
